Former Sony Exec Reflects on the Fallout from Seth Rogen’s ‘The Interview’

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Michael Lynton, who used to lead Sony Pictures Entertainment, believes that producing Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg’s 2014 film, The Interview, was the biggest error of his professional life. The comedy, co-written and directed by Rogen and Goldberg and starring Rogen and James Franco, told the story of interviewers recruited by the CIA to assassinate North Korea’s Kim Jong Un. The film’s sensitive subject matter sparked an international crisis when North Korean hackers broke into Sony’s systems and released confidential emails, scripts, and even completed movies to the public.

In his upcoming memoir, From Mistakes to Meaning: Owning Your Past So It Doesn’t Own You, Lynton reflects on the release of The Interview, calling it the “biggest mistake of my career,” as reported by The Hollywood Reporter. He recalls a conversation with former President Barack Obama, who questioned the film’s plot involving the assassination of a foreign leader. Lynton explains he approved the controversial comedy hoping to establish himself and produce edgy, unconventional films.

I briefly wished I could be part of the rebellious group making those films, to feel like one of the actors. I was tired of being the sensible one, always watching everyone else have fun while I stayed on the sidelines. A childish impulse took over, and I didn’t want to ruin the fun for anyone else. Things quickly spiraled out of control, and everyone involved – the company, its employees, my family, and myself – suffered the consequences.

The Fallout of the Sony Emails and ‘The Interview’


Sony Pictures

A major data breach severely harmed Sony Pictures Entertainment’s reputation. Leaked emails revealed that studio executives had criticized prominent actors like Will Smith, Adam Sandler, and Angelina Jolie, leading to their departures. The breach also exposed sensitive personal information – C-SPAN reported over 47,000 Social Security numbers were stolen. As a result of the scandal, Amy Pascal, who led Sony’s Motion Pictures Group, was removed from her position in 2015, though she later signed a production deal with the studio. Michael Lynton remained with Sony until 2017, when he left to become CEO of Snap, the company behind Snapchat.

The 2014 Sony email hack first revealed plans to bring Spider-Man into the Marvel Cinematic Universe, an announcement that became official in February 2015. The leaks also showed a canceled crossover between Men in Black and 21 Jump Street, and a draft of the Spectre script. Full versions of upcoming Sony films, including Fury, Annie, Still Alice, Mr. Turner, and To Write Love on Her Arms, were also released publicly.

After many theaters expressed fear of attacks for showing the movie The Interview, Sony Pictures canceled its theatrical release. Instead, it became the first big Hollywood film released for digital rental and purchase on December 25, 2014—six years before the COVID-19 pandemic changed how movies were released. While The Interview appeared to be a typical over-the-top comedy, it had a huge impact that continues to be felt today.

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2026-02-23 22:19